A quiet coastal park at 40 Glendowie Rd in Glendowie, Auckland, Anderson's Beach Reserve holds a 4.7 rating from 17 Google reviews, with visitors praising it as a calm spot to walk, fish and unwind by the sea. Coastal reserves like this one live by the tide: at low water the beach opens up for paddling, shell-collecting and long walks along the foreshore, while high tide brings the water close and the fishing lines out. Regulars tend to time their visits accordingly, and many carry insect repellent in the warmer months, since grassy edges near harbours and estuaries are prime mosquito territory around dusk. Evenings and early mornings are usually the calmest times for a walk, before the sun gets strong and the breeze drops. For a quiet patch of sea air in Auckland's eastern bays, this little Glendowie reserve is exactly the kind of place locals keep to themselves.